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In today's local paper a writer I respect used the word williwog in this context: They [old hotels] were wrapped in ample, elevated, railed porches where guests enjoyed evening williwogs wafting in from the sea.I can't find hide nor hair of williwog. I did, however, find williwaw widely documented with the same meaning: Merriam Websters:
Main Entry: wil.li.waw Pronunciation: 'wi-li-"wo Function: noun Etymology: origin unknown Date: 1842 1 a : a sudden violent gust of cold land air common along mountainous coasts of high latitudes b : a sudden violent wind 2 : a violent commotionDid he use an incorrect, or another even more obsolete, form of williwaw? Is williwog just another one of those spelling variants as in sockdologer[?] (I have at least three cited spelling variants for this one). Has anyone ever hear of, or used, williwog or williwaw? And notice williwaw's origin unknown...what is it with these "willie" words?...no trace of origins? Or is williwaw a clue toward our never-found "willies" origin? Makes sense...since a violent breeze is a disturbance. Or does all this just give you the willies?
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Dear WO'N: I have many times seen "williwaw" in stories about Alaska, and suspect it is an Inuit word. T thiink "williwog" is someone's mishearing of "williwaw". Also I have the impression it means of sudden onset, in gusts with rapid changes in direction. I got a couple hits. One was apparently nickname for some Australian guy, and the other was a pathetic poem about a frog:You have to scroll down a ways: http://edgarfrog.diaryland.com/011108_59.htmlNeither had anything to do with wind.
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And would people really enjoy "violent" gusts of wind??
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from Dr. Bill's "edgarfrog" link
Edgar Frog: Trying to find a fellow Aussie.
hallie2x: well i am very good with children - i played a big part in raising my baby sister and i plan to have some someday maybe i can help
Edgar Frog: My tot is 3 years old, and he's always trying to put his williwog in the sally port.
Nawww!...so this means that williwog is also Aussie slang for "willie"? Stales? Doc C? PaulB?
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It doesn't sound likely that a williwog or williwaw would "waft" in from the sea, does it?
But, for sake of argument, if those sitting on the grand old porches did, in fact, enjoy violent gusts of wind, they'd just belong to those spirits who enjoy hurricane watching, tornado tracking, and occasional cop-car following to scenes of crimes.
I knew a terrifically funny guy in Orlando, Florida, who, as a teenager, was on the self-formed "Save Our City Committee." He and his small band of friends would get on some kind of short-wave radio, listen in to what was happening among the police, and would charge out after police cars to see what was brewing in Orlando.
Best williwogs, WordWilliwaw
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Dear WO'N: There are a lot of unusual animals in Oz, but not frogs with phalloi.
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not frogs with phalloi
Dr. Bill: If I didn't know that your intentions were generally good, I might take this rather personally, and suggest it belongs in the insult thread.
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Of course there are!
One afternoon, there was this good witch who was flying along, when all of a sudden, she heard this soft crying from down below. When she landed, she say this yellow toad. Touched by his sadness, the witch asked why he was crying.
"Sniff. None of the other toads will let me join in all their toad games. Boo hoo."
"Don't cry, little one," replied the witch, and with a wave of her magic wand, the toad turned green. All happy now, the frog was checking himself over when he noticed that his penis was still yellow. He asked an embarrassed witch about this, and she told him that there were some things that she just couldn't do, but if he saw the wizard, he'd fix things up for him. So happily, the little green toad hippity-hopped along his merry way.
Feeling quick happy about herself, the witch once more took to the skies, and once again, she heard some crying, but this time of a thunderous sort. So down to the ground she flew only to discover a pink elephant. The witch asked him why he was crying.
"Sniff. None of the other elephants will let me join in all their elephant games. Boo hoo."
Now if you have ever seen an elephant cry, you know it to be a pathetic looking sight, but a PINK elephant crying is just downright heart-breaking, and that is just how the witch felt. So once again, she waved her magic wand, and *POOF*, the elephant was all grey.
All happy now, the elephant was checking himself all over when he noticed that his penis was still pink. He asked an embarrassed witch about this, and she told him that there were some things that she just couldn't do, but if saw the wizard, he would fix things up for him.
At this point, the elephant just started wailing. "I don't know where the wizard is", he sobbed.
"Oh that's easy. Just follow the yellow pricked toad!"
TEd
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ROMFL!! LOL!!! I can't stop!... One of your best, TEd! Now I want a Custom T-shirt made...the picture of a little green frog with a big yellow weenie saying: AND YOU THOUGHT MY TONGUE WAS LONG! Hey, you know, that just might sell! So.... © ®
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I made up that plural of phallus, and was waiting for one of our scholars to expose the error. When none did, I decided to do it myself. I get a chuckle out of what I found:
Main Entry: phal·lus Pronunciation: 'fa-l&s Function: noun Inflected Form(s): plural phal·li /'fa-"lI, -"lE/; or phal·lus·es Etymology: Latin, from Greek phallos penis, representation of the penis; probably akin to Latin flare to blow -- more at BLOW Date: circa 1613 1 : a symbol or representation of the penis
Phallacies can turn out to be amusing.
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